Exploring Definitions of Financial Abuse in Elderly Korean Immigrants: The Contribution of Traditional Cultural Values

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the cultural definitions of financial abuse from the perspective of 124 elderly Korean immigrants and to examine the role of traditional cultural values in their definitions by using a mixed methods approach. The qualitative analysis generated four themes relevant to definition of financial abuse. A binary logistic regression indicated that those with stronger cultural adherence to traditional values had higher odds of providing culture-based definitions of financial abuse. Education is needed for health professionals, social service providers, and adult protective workers to increase their understanding of culture-specific experiences of financial abuse among ethnic minority elders.

Definition of Financial Abuse: A Culture-Centered Construct among Korean Elders

“…This finding was corroborated by Lee et al's (2012) study, which found a similar definition of financial abuse among elderly Korean American immigrants. In contrast to the shared formal concept of financial abuse in Western countries, including the United States, financial abuse defined by Korean elders is based on filial piety.…”

“…This concern is particularly salient in light of studies that have shown that understandings, perceptions, and attitudes toward financial abuse vary among people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in the United States, including Korean American immigrants (Chang & Moon, 1997;Lee & Eaton, 2009;Lee et al, 2012;Moon et al, 2001;Moon & Williams, 1993;Pablo & Braun, 1997). For example, a vast majority of elderly Korean American immigrants defined financial abuse as "no provision of financial assistance to elderly parents" (Lee et al, 2012, p. 298), a culturally informed sentiment that is not reflected in formal definitions of financial abuse in the United States (NCEA, 1998).…”

“…There is a growing body of research on elder abuse and neglect in Korean populations, but financial abuse has received little research attention, despite being identified as the most prevalent type of elder mistreatment among elderly Koreans in the United States (Chang & Moon, 1997 Lee & Eaton, 2009;Lee, Lee, & Eaton, 2012;Moon & Benton, 2000;Moon & Evans-Campbell, 1999;Moon, Tomita, & Jung-Kamei, 2001), but minimal research has addressed financial abuse as one of the domains of elder mistreatment among elders in Korea (see Yoon et al, 2010).…”

“…Lee et al (2012) noted that one of the critical issues in specifically addressing financial abuse is the absence of an appropriate definition for such abuse, one voiced by and therefore meaningful to the elderly themselves. Existing formal definitions have been adopted from service providers or legal authorities who receive reports on elder mistreatment to Adult Protective Services (Choi, Kulick, & Mayer, 1999;Choi & Mayer, 2000; National Center on Elder Abuse [NCEA], 1998;Tueth, 2000), and yet these definitions fail to reflect the meaning and perception of financial abuse actually held by the elderly, whether a victim or perpetrator.…”

“…Lee and Eaton (2009) revealed that greater adherence to traditional values toward elder care was strongly associated with higher tolerance of financial abuse among their Korean American immigrant sample. Additionally, those who strongly held traditional values of elder care tended to provide culture-based definitions of financial abuse (Lee et al, 2012).…”